Second season club member Karla Doran continues to impress and her victory in the Dublin Intermediate cross country championship last Sunday is yet another indication of her rising profile in Irish athletics. In the process she spearheaded the Donore Harriers (16) women’s team to a comfortable win ahead of Rathfarnham (29) and Clonliffe Harriers (47).

Doran (20.42) was among a lead group of athletes through the first 4 kilometres and then sped away over the last kilometre to finish well clear of runner-up Emma Dolan (20.57) of Metro St. Bridget AC.

The strong gusting winds that blew across Tymon Park did not hamper an exciting race with the black and white of Donore Harriers very much to the fore. The ever consistent Kim Hickey (21.10) crossed the line in a clear 3^rd place, whilst Aisling Swaine (21.27) made it 3 in the top 4 for Donore when she outpaced Louise Gaffney (21.31) of Rathfarnham over the final hundred metres. The scoring team was completed by the in-form Emer Rattigan (21.39) in 8^th place.

The non-scoring runners were: – Bronagh Eliott (22.40) in 12^th position and Rhona Duane (23.10) in 17^th.

The final Dublin Juvenile cross country league fixture preceded the Intermediate championship and there were some excellent results for the Donore team. Fathi Aden held off the gallant challenge of Pearse Christie of Brothers Pearse AC to win the Boys under 15s race over 2 kilometres and in the process finished as the individual league winner. Sekeriye Ahmed was narrowly beaten by a Tallaght AC athlete in the under 16s race, but his 2^nd place was good enough to claim the league title having won the first two fixtures. Eliza NiThighearnaigh and Suzanne Masterson placed 1^st and 2^nd in the Girls under 17s race, also over 2 kilometres, and they respectively finished as 1^st and 2^nd overall in the final league placings.

The best of the rest included Oliver Hopkins who placed a fine 6^th in the Boys under 11s race over 1 kilometre. Oliver put in a huge effort and gained to 4^th in the middle stages of the race, before being outkicked by two competitors in the run in to the line. Roisin Brady continues to improve and her 8^th place in the Girls under 15s race over 2 kilometres suggests that she is a young athlete with great potential.

The other young Donore Harriers athletes who competing in the very windswept conditions were: – Joe Kinsella (10^th) and Conor Mulcahy (26^th) in the Boys under 10s; Brooke Fagan (10^th) and Grace Raftery (13^th) in the Girls under 11s; Sean Kinsella (13^th) and Michael Barry (14^th) in the Boys under 12s and Jack Raftery (11^th) in the Boys under 15s.

There were 5 kilometre Parkrun wins for Colin Morrissey (18.50 at Waterstown Park, Paul Cummins (18.47) at Tymon Park, George Brady (18.11) and 15 years old Lucy McCann (21.05) at Griffeen Park. Declan Lynch (19.27) came 2^nd at Waterstown, whilst Michael Barry (19.45) broke the 20 minutes barrier for the first time in 4^th place.

Results in brief  

Dublin Intermediate Cross Country Championships at Tymon Park (29/11/15): Senior Women’s 5km: - 1^st Karla Doran (20.42, 3^rd Kim Hickey (21.10), 4^th Aisling Swaine (21.27), 8^th Emer Rattigan (21.39), 12^th Bronagh Elliott (22.40), 17^th Rhona Duane (23.10)

TEAM: - 1. Donore Harriers <Doran, Hickey, Swaine, Rattigan> (16), 2. Rathfarnham WSAF (26), 3. Clonliffe Harriers (47)

Waterstown 5km Parkrun (28/11/15): 1^st Colin Morrissey M35 (18.50), 2^nd Declan Lynch M35 (19l27), 4^th Michael Barry (19.45 PB), 20^th Andrew Maguire M45 (25.21 PB)

Tymon 5km Parkrun (28/11/15): 1^st Paul Cummins (18.47)

Castletown 5km Parkrun (28/11/15): 21^st /3^rd woman Laura Murray (24.47)

Naas 5km Parkrun (28/11/15): 4^th Ian Redican M40 (21.04)

Griffeen 5km Parkrun (28/11/15): 1^st George Brady M35 (18.11), 42^nd / 8^th woman Michelle Dawson (25.59)

Juvenile Results

Dublin Juvenile XC League Fixture 3 at Tymon Park (29/11/15):

u/10 Boys 700m – 10th Joe Kinsella, 26th Conor Mulcahy

u/11 Girls 1000m – 10th Brooke Fagan, 13th Grace Raftery

u/11 Boys 1000m – 6th Oliver Hopkins

u/12 Boys 1000m – 13th Sean Kinsella, 14th Michael Barry

u/15 Girls 2000m – 8th Roisin Brady

u/15 Boys 2000m – 1st Fathi Aden, 11th Jack Raftery

u/16 Boys 2000m – 2nd Sekeriye Ahmed

u/17 Girls 2000m – 1st Eliza NThighearnaigh, 2nd Suzanne Masterson

OVERALL LEAGUE: u/15 Boys – 1^st Fathi Aden; u/16 Boys – 1^st Sekeriye Ahmed; u/17 Girls – 1^st Eliza NiThighearnaigh, 2^nd Suzanne Masterson

Griffeen 5km Parkrun (28/11/15): 11^th / 1^st woman Lucy McCann u/17s (21.05)